The recently completed Casco Bay Ferry Terminal was recognized with a 2014 American Institute of Architects New England Design Award in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday September 27th. There were over 250 entries and the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal was the only entry north of Boston to be commended for its design excellence.

The number of people using the Casco Bay Island Transit District’s terminal facility has more than doubled since the original terminal was built in 1988. Now nearly a million people use the ferry services passing through the terminal each year going to the Casco Bay islands, touring Casco Bay or sightseeing along the waterfront.

A shift in the location of the primary gates, increased freight to the islands, and a need for marine and site improvements spurred the development of a Master Plan for the terminal building and site in 2011. Working closely with the architects, Scott Simons Architects, and its engineers, the Casco Bay Island Transit District planned Phase One improvements to significantly improve the terminal facility for island commuters while making much needed repairs to the facility’s infrastructure. The new waiting room and renovated terminal building opened in July 2014. Phase Two, which primarily addresses site improvements, is planned to start in 2015.